| Cross Words: Go West Young Man |
Richard Prow ~ rpcrosswords@gmail.com
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If you’ve ever perused the Bible or attended a church service or two, you’ve most likely heard the name Abraham mentioned. He’s the guy that God promised to give possession of the land of Canaan (now Israel), as well as descendants as numerous as the stars in the skies (Gen. 12-15). However, what you may not know is that it doesn’t appear that Abraham was the first to be offered these earth shattering opportunities.
The final paragraph of Genesis chapter 11 states that Abraham’s father, Terah, had set out on a journey to reach the famed Promised Land. He of course never made it, choosing to go north and settling in Haran rather than going west towards Canaan. Why this unwillingness to forge ahead towards a land of splendor and instead settle for mediocrity?
Maybe Terah deemed the vast desert to the west to be too uncertain. Too full of apparent or self-imagined dangers. Perhaps he decided to play it safe and follow a path up the Euphrates River where he knew he could survive under his own power. After all, as long as there was a fresh supply of water he and his family could grow crops and keep their livestock watered and well fed. Possibly he never went too far at one time, always staying close enough to “home” so that he could easily make it back if necessary. Bottom line. He quit. Bottom line. He lacked faith.
Terah most likely looked towards the Promised Land on more than one occasion. He probably even traveled a few miles in its’ direction before turning back to safer surroundings. And I’m just guessing here, but based on human nature, at the end of his life he regretted never following through on his goal.
Most of us desire to do what God has planted within our inner psyches. We long to be obedient and fulfill our purpose for which God has created us. But how often do we stop short of reaching our final destination? How often do we allow fear and uncertainty, doubt and the possibility of danger, to derail our journeys. How many times do we step foot out of our cozy little rabbit holes only to run back to our secure surroundings at the first sight of danger?
I’m sure Terah would have settled in Canaan if only God had teleported him there without him having to take those difficult steps. Certainly he would have even made the journey himself if only he could have seen each step he would have had to take before he set out. But that takes no faith at all. For, “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1).
Decide now to take a leap of faith. Decide now to step out of your comfort zone. Decide now to head west when conventional wisdom says head north. Decide now to trust God and allow Him to do the seemingly impossible through you.
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